Forages

With current corn prices and the limited availability of perennial grass, some producers are asking themselves if growing forages on cropland might be the answer to feeding the cow herd. A webinar to address these questions in addition to showing economic examples will be held Tuesday evening, February 13, from 6:00-7:30 p.m. CST.

Spotty rains and drought conditions in some areas of the state as well as hail and wind damage are leading growers to seek alternative uses for rainfed corn fields. Fortunately, there are several forage alternatives.

The current heat wave is taking a toll on forage plants, particularly cool-season plants. Alfalfa and clovers, bromegrass, orchardgrass, fescues, needlegrasses, and wheatgrasses all struggle during hot weather, but adjusting your management can limit the stress from stressful weather.

Undergraduate Sarah Morton shares the results of her study on whether planting perennial grasses into small grain residue after grain harvest has an effect on establishment. Morton, an undergraduate student in the UNL Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, conducted the study for her Research and Extension Experiential Learning Fellowship in summer 2016.

Student research fellow Martina LaVallie shares the results of her study on the potential of using drought-tolerant sorghum-sudangrass as a companion crop to establish forage and legume species. LaVallie, who graduated from Augustana University in Sioux Falls, S.D., and is now a graduate student in the UNL Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, conducted the study as part of a UNL Research and Extension Experiential Learning Fellowship in summer 2016.